308 ORCHIDS. 
juniper-leaves. The pseudo-bulbs are egg-shaped, furrowed, 
dark green, and 3in. long. Leaves 1ft. or more long, 
lanceolate, stout, plaited, and dark green. Flower-spike 
short, stout, always pendulous, as shown in the illustration, 
and bearing from six to a dozen flowers, which are fleshy, 
somewhat cupped, and coloured yellow sometimes with the 
addition of a sprinkling of small, purple dots. A variety 
called guttulata is thickly dotted with violet. A _ plant 
such as is represented in the accompanying illustration is 
both singular in appearance and ornamental. During 
summer this species should be grown in the Cattleya-house, 
and be well watered; in winter it should be rested. It 
blossoms in June. A native of Mexico, whence it was 
introduced in 1835. 
Fig. 96. 
P. elata.—This species is of a stately habit, and when 
well grown is in every way a very ornamental plant. 
The onion-like pseudo-bulbs are slightly wrinkled, and 
broadly ovate in outline; they are usually from 4in. 
to 5in. high, and bear at the top three to five strong- 
nerved leaves, averaging between aft. and 3ft. in length, 
by 6in. in width, tapering towards both ends. The 
flower-stems are erect, 3ft. to 4ft. high, the upper third 
bearing the flowers, which are sweetly scented, wax- 
like, somewhat cupped, and measure 2in. across. The 
sepals are concave, and, like the smaller and more delicate 
petals, are shining white. The most remarkable feature 
of the flower is the column, which is united to the base 
of the thick and fleshy lip, and is furnished with two 
white, spreading, fleshy wings, and a bird’s-head-like top, 
supposed to bear a resemblance to a dove. The lip 
aud wings are sometimes spotted with purple. This 
species flowers from June to September, the racemes con- 
